A knife-wielding bank robber shouted: “Take me to the money!” before stabbing a bank worker twice in the hand.
The raider struck at the Santander branch in King Street, Huddersfield, on Friday afternoon.
Police are hunting the man who carried out the botched raid at 3.50pm on one of Huddersfield’s busiest shopping streets ahead of so-called Mad Friday, the night when Christmas revellers hit the town.
Det Insp Andy Leonard, of Kirklees CID, said officers were examining CCTV footage in the hope that it will yield some clues.
He said: “The man walked straight up to the customer service point, an open meet-and-greet type area and immediately made demands to the 35-year-old employee, saying: ‘Take me to the money!’”
A scuffle between the two men ensued with the robber stabbing the man twice in his right hand.
One of the wounds is in the fleshy area close to his thumb.
Although the injuries are not life-threatening they will require surgery.
Mr Leonard added: “It’s a nasty wound. You would not want that injury. The employee has tried to defend himself.
“The robber has then gone out of camera shot and runs off to Cloth Hall Street.
“There is nothing to suggest he has an accomplice or has got into a waiting car.
“To be honest it is not a very well-planned operation.”
The suspect is described as a dark-skinned man who was wearing a dark hooded top and black tracksuit bottoms.
Police are appealing for witnesses and anyone who can help should ring Kirklees CID via 101 quoting log 1034 of 18/12/15.
